ON THE LAND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XLIX, Issue 42, 26 October 1922, Page 51

ON THE LAND

, MARKET REPORTS. At Burnside last week, 191 head of fat cattle were offered,, including a fair proportion of well-finished stock. Butchers who were unable to secure the usual supply of mutton endeavored to make up the deficiency in the beef market, and the result was a spirited sale from start to finish. The sale opened at about 30s per 1001 b and advanced to about 35s per 1001 b. Extra prime heavy-weight bullocks sold up to £l6 17s 6d, prime £l3 to £l4 10s, medium £ll 10s to £l2 10s, unfinished from £8 10s, prime cows and heifers £7 10s to £8 10s, medium £6 to £6 10s, light and aged from £4. Eat Sheep.—There was a small yarding of 1233 sheep. Butchers were keen to secure supplies, and bidding was very spirited. The sale opened at 2s 6d per head better than on the previous week, and gradually improved until at the end of the auction extreme prices were obtained. An average rise for the day could be quoted at from 3s 6d to 4s 6d, but in some cases this was considerably exceeded. Extra prime heavy-weight wethers made to 53s 6d, prime 37s to 425, medium 28s to 355, light from 245, extra prime ewes made up to 335, medium 23s to 265. Spring Lambs. —There was a small yarding of 24 head. A few extra prime lambs sold up to 525, prime from 30s to .465, others from 28s. Pigs.A large yarding, all classes being well represented. Best baconers realised from 5-2-d to 6d, and best porkers from 7-J-d to 8d per lb.

At Addington market last week, there were larger yai'dings of nearly all classes of stock. Beef was slightly easier. The steadily-rising movement in mutton values was arrested. Considering the size of the yarding, however, the sale was a very good one. Spring Lambs. —247 were penned. A keen sale, the top price of which was 395. The bulk of the entry sold at from 32s to 355, and a few under 30s. The over-all price was in the vicinity of Is per lb. Fat Sheep.—A bigger yarding, comprising 12 races, a fair proportion being shorn. The market was easier than on the previous week by about 2s per head. Over the •preceding month there had been an average weekly rise of quite 2s 6d per head. Extra prime wethers 35s to 38s 6d, prime wethers 32s to 34s 6d, medium 28s to 31s', light 24s 6d to 27s 6d, extra prime ewes to 365, prime 27s to 31s, medium 24s to 26s 6d, light 19s to 23s 6d, extra prime shorn wethers to 30s lOd, prime 26s 6d to 295, ordinary 22s to 265, shorn ewes 20s to 23s 6d, prime hoggets 25s to 30s 3d. Fat Cattle.— yarding of 340, compared with 247 on the preceding week. Ninety odd were from the North Island. There was a slight easing in prices. Prime middle-weights 32s 6d to 35s per 1001 b, big beef 30s to 335, secondary 27s 6d to 30s, rough beef to 22s 6d, extra prime steers to £l6, prime £l2 15s to £l4 15s, medium £lO 10s to £l2 10s, light £6 15s to £lO ss, extra prime heifers to £l2 2s 6d, prime £9 to £ll, ordinary £6 15s to £8 15s, extra prime cows to £l2 12s 6d, prime £8 5s to £lO 10s, ordinary £6 to £7 15s. Vealers. —The number offered was not sufficient for requirements. Prices rose from 6s to 8s per head. ; Runners to £4 12s 6d, vealers £3 10s to £4 10s, small calves from 8s upwards. Fat Pigs.—A slacker demand, and prices declined. Choppers £3 to £5 15s, light baconers £2 15s to £3 3s, heavy £3 7s 6d to £3 12s, extra heavy to £3 15s—average price per lb to s£d; light porkers £1 15s to £2, heavy £2 3s to £2 ;10s— average price per lb 6|d to 7£d.

The usual fortnightly sale of rabbitskins, etc., was held last week, when medium-sized catalogues were offered to a full attendance of buyers. Competition was erratic , and prices for winter skins were easier, more especially for winter bucks, which showed a decline of 3d to 5d a lb on late ruling rates. Prime winter does to 90£d, prime winter bucks to 80|d, • first winter bucks to 743 d, first winter does to 84£d, second winter does 66d to 69|d, second winter bucks 64d to 68d, incoming and early winters 60d to 65d, autumns tto 43id, outgoings to 42d, racks 24d to 27£d, light racks 21-}d, springs to 28d, summers to 19d, milky does to 24Jd, small 8d to 9d, winter black to 72d, autumn black 32fd, winter fawn 70d, hareskins 28d to 36d, horsehair 30£d. .

MAKING OF ENSILAGE: SOME VALUABLE ADVICE. The dairy farmer in Taranaki realising that he must make the land produce as much as possible, if he is to make dairying pay, L especially in these days of high priced land, is turning his attention more than ever to the main essentials, i.e., the selection of a good milking strain of cattle, and, the provision of suitable feed and adequate shelter. Ensilage is coming greatly into favor, in some districts, and at Tikorangi some very useful advice was given the settlers by Mr. J. W. Deem, fields supervisor in Taranaki for the Department of Agriculture. Keen interest was displayed in the address, and an interesting discussion took place. Earlier in the day, Mr. Deem visited five of the ensilage stacks that had been made during last season in the district, and gave a general criticism, sometimes favorable, sometimes the reverse, as the case warranted, on the methods adopted. Generally speaking, Mr. Deem expressed himself more than satisfied with the quality of the ensilage. Here and there he found that the stack had become slightly overheated, and although the quality was not by any means spoilt, with a little more attention to that matter an improvement could bo made. The stacks appeared to require more attention as regards outside waste, and Mr. Deem advised settlers, when making their stacks, to have a hay-knife handy, when they r would obtain a much firmer surface for laying timber, earth, etc,, for covering the stack, The quantity cut off each day could be thrown back dn the stack, and that would come to ensilage. By doing this they would find that they would curtail the waste a lot. The best time to cut for ensilage was when the grass was in flower, oats when the grain was in the doughy stage; peas when the pod formed. Good grass and clovers made splendid ensilage, and were often far more easily and economically obtained than peas, oats, etc. As regards stacking, he advised reaching to a height of about 6ft the first day, and then, generally speaking, he would spell a day, and then continue daily until the job was done. He did not think it necessary to let the first lot wilt a little before making a start, except with, say, very green material, such as the first cut of lucerne. Generally, our grasses were sufficiently dry to do without wilting. If they were at all doubtful, take the temperature, and if it reached 130 they could go on to 150, but must pile the material on quicker and kill the heat. As regards a round stack, he had never made one, .but he knew of settlers who had good results, and possibly it might minimise the waste, but he preferred a stack nearly square. As regards sour and sweet silage, one .was perhaps as good as the other, but the sour was more obnoxious to work; in fact, even our own kind kept away if they had much to do with sour silage. However, the cattle were very fond of it, and did well on it. ■ Questioned as to whether it was better to open the whole stack, or cut the silage out in sections, Mr. Deem said he favored the latter. Certainly the air did penetrate where cut, but taking from the cut he thought one would lose a little unless he could take some all over the stacks every day or so. The best way to get earth was to dig a space around the stack, and then refill again when the earth was removed. He thought in time silage would be more general, and although with soft turnips probably cows may give a little more milk, he thought they would bo in better condition on silage. - Accuse not another of a crime, from which you cannot clear yourself.—St. Pacian ;